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Clients & Ethics

On this page

Ethics Support

QLS Ethics Centre

Ethics Support assist the profession by providing ethical guidance.

Ethics Support,
Queensland Law Society,
GPO Box 1785,
Brisbane 4000

Telephone: (07) 3842 5843
Fax: (07) 3842 5999

ethics@qls.com.au

QueenslandPages catering for the general public.

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Queensland 1  client relations legal ethics ethical issues

Commentary on Law and Ethics

Complaints - LSC

Legal Services Commission

Level 30
400 George Street
Brisbane Qld 4000 

PO Box 10310
Brisbane Adelaide Street Qld 4000

Telephone: (07) 3406 7737
Fax: (07) 3406 7749

lsc@lsc.qld.gov.au

www.lsc.qld.gov.au

Queensland 2  client relations legal ethics ethical issues

Dealing With Complaints

Rule No. 1. If a client complains absolutely do not bury your head in the sand, throw bombs back again or despair.

Unless you are determined to turn a query into a formal complaint or Professional Negligence Claim.

Rule No. 2. Do not panic.

It is not the end of the world. Although it may start to seem that way if you don't follow Rule No. 3.

Rule No. 3. Talk to somebody about it.

This will help to get it into perspective and you can start getting help to see if there really is a problem. There may be answers that you have not seen. If there is, then together you can work out what you might do about it.

Queensland 3  client relations legal ethics ethical issues

Talk to LawCover if it even potentially involves a professional negligence claim. They are very experienced and will talk to you confidentially. Call 02 9264 8855 and as to speak to one of the Claims Solicitors. Simply notifying a potential claim does not lead to a claims loading for a law practice, nor will it impact on a law practice's no-claim bonus.

Information about notifying claims is at LawCover Claims.

If you are looking for an independent senior solicitor who is sympathetic to the problems of being a practitioner and who has already volunteered to help, then consider the Senior Solicitors' Scheme of the Law Society of NSW.

For information on the assistance that the Law Society can provide if you are struggling with practice (or with life), see Foolkit's Your Wellbeing page.

Criminal Lawyer Ethics

A common question asked of criminal lawyers is "How do you defend somebody who you think is guilty?". For an interesting discussion on this issue, see the Radio National's the Law Report's 'The Ethics of Criminal Lawyers' interview: